Auto-rickshaw drivers in Chennai do not use meters; some try to overcharge and often drive rashly, but that's part of the fun of being in Chennai. They are happy to exploit foreigners and locals alike. The advantage of being a local is that you know when you're being fleeced, and so you'll know when to walk away and find another auto. The upside is that autos are ubiquitous and possibly the easiest form of transportation to locate. Use Auto-rickshaws only for short distances because they are uncomfortable. Before talking to an auto driver you might like to try and ask any local person what the actual fare should be, because the drivers will often ask for up to 3 times more. Even so, by Western standards they are dirt cheap. You'll have no problem once the fare has been agreed and for short trips the Auto is a must. The local government of Chennai has failed to regulate the price mechanism of the auto-rickshaws, possibly because they tried to set the price unreasonably low. Few auto drivers will make more than $200 dollars a month so bear that in mind.
If you want to travel by the auto, stick to these rules:
Forget the meter; no one will go by it, and if they do, it's probably rigged to show a higher fare.
Negotiate a rate with the driver beforehand; if he doesn't agree, just go to the next auto on the road; there will always be others unless it's very late or very early or you are in a remote area: then be prepared to pay up. Stick to the agreed price, though on very rare occasions the driver may attempt to ask for more.
Consult local friends beforehand to find out reasonable market prices for the distance you intend to go.
Try to hail individual auto rickshaws in traffic which are heading in the general direction of your destination.
As a general rule, expect to pay about 10 to 15 for every kilometer (0.6 mi) you travel.
Be careful about the following when you plan to undertake an auto-rickshaw trip:
You don't have to pay for any empty return trips that the auto-rickshaw driver has to make once you have agreed upon a fare.
You tell them to go to a landmark near where you want to go, and upon reaching the landmark, ask them to go a little further along a particular road to your destination. They might cite the extra distance traveled and ask for more money. So it is better to negotiate the fare upfront.
You don't have to pay for petrol during the ride.
If you pay them for petrol, make sure you pay them the remaining fare amount after subtracting petrol charges.
The call taxis are better regulated and can be ordered air-conditioned, although unlike auto-rickshaws, advance reservations are needed and they cannot usually be flagged on the street.
Share autos have emerged in the recent years as an alternative mode of transport in Chennai. They are over-sized three wheelers running on diesel and charge slightly more than the bus. There are four wheelers known as meter taxis, which don't have a meter and are not taxis. Recently, yet another four wheeler, Magic(manufactured by Tata), has started running in and around the city, which operate similar to share autos and meter taxis. They are all over crowded and the drivers indulge in rash driving, owing to the competition. The only advantage is that it is cost effective.
On a side note - if you are fascinated by the idea of going around in an auto, think about all those foreigners, who are riding an auto from Chennai to Mumbai.
A Chennai based event management company, Chennai Event Management Services, has been having these auto-rickshaw rallies from Chennai to Mumbai, or Kanyakumari, etc.,
and has developed a great fan following for the same. More info:
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Chennai
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Chennai - updated Apr 2024
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Chennai Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
